UNIT 1
ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS
The unit explores the preliminary concepts that would allow students to better understand
the complex relationships and interactions between living organisms and their physical
environment. Furthermore, the unit also covers the chemical cycles involving essential
elements that allow life on Earth to thrive and flourish.
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LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION TO
ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
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INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Environmental science is a field that deals with the study of interaction between human systems and natural systems.
Essential Questions:
What is the significance of Environmental Science?
Why does the world need environmentally aware citizens?
Intended Learning Outcomes
Define the study of environmental science
Explain the difference of the Anthropocene (age of man) with the other eras in Earth’s history
Understand the need for environmentally aware citizens regardless of their field of study
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE?
Directions: This crossword puzzle contains words that are all related to environmental science. Fill
out the puzzle with the correct words according to the description below.
DOWN: ACROSS:
1. concerns the study of geology, soil science, 2. the study of organisms and the environment interacting
volcanoes, and the Earth's crust as they relate to the with one another
environment 3. the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or
6. the layers of gases surrounding Earth, protecting ecosystem
us from matter and energy from outside Earth and 4. the ongoing rise of the average temperature of Earth's
allowing us to breathe climate system
5. avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to
maintain an ecological balance
7. the presence in or introduction into the environment of a
substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects
8. materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water,
and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for
economic gain
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
1.1 WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?
Environmental science is the systematic study of our environment and our proper place in it. It is a
fairly novel field of study that arose from the contemporary concerns that the world is facing today. It
borrows from several other fields of study to give us a holistic approach in finding solutions to these
concerns.
CULTURE SOCIETY
Fig 1.1 Environmental science is highly
HUMAN
interdisciplinary, uniting and merging
ENVIRONMENT knowledge from the natural sciences, social
sciences, and humanities to create a holistic,
broader discipline to understand the world
around us.
NATURE
Environment comes from the French environner (meaning to encircle or surround). It is defined as:
the overall conditions surrounding an organism or group of organisms; or
the cultural conditions that an individual or community is under.
THE COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Ecology is the study of organisms and the environment interacting
with one another. Ecologists try to find relations between the status of
the environment and the population of a particular species within that
environment, and if there are any correlations to be drawn between the
two.
Photo by Wynand van Poortvliet, 2017
Geoscience concerns the study of geology, soil science, volcanoes,
and Earth's crust as they relate to the environment. The scientists who
take part in this field of study are the soil scientists, physicists,
biologists, and geomorphologists.
Photo by Purnomo Capunk, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Atmospheric science is the study of the Earth’s atmosphere. It
analyzes the relation of the Earth’s atmosphere to the its other systems.
This encompasses a wide variety of scientific studies relating to space,
astrology and the Earth’s atmosphere: meteorology, pollution, gas
emissions, and airborne contaminants.
Photo by Michal Ico, 2017
Environmental chemistry is the study of the changes in the chemical
make up of the environment, such as contamination of the soil,
pollution of the water, degradation of chemicals, and the transport of
chemicals upon the plants and animals of the immediate environment.
Photo by Andres Perez, 2020
1.2 THE ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
The Seven Ecological Principles serve as a guiding blueprint for all who seek to delve deeper into
environmental science. Cited by Galang, et al. in their 2003 publication "Seven Lenses (or
Environmental Principles as if Adults Mattered)," these principles provide the right mindset and
disposition to those who are new to the discipline.
1. Everything is connected to everything else.
Environmental science mainly deals with relationships, not only between different organisms, but
also their interaction with their physical environment. Students who study environmental science
will learn that our actions and decisions here in the cities, no matter how far away, affect the farthest
corners of the world. For instance, the smoke from our automobiles emit greenhouse gases which
contribute to global warming, and ultimately, melting the polar ice caps in the far north and south.
The Butterfly Effect. Guggenheim Investments. https://www.guggenheiminvestments.com/getattachment/dfdc264f-8e2f-410d-909f-
e968748c328d/coronavirus-economic-bond-stock-oil-market-effect.aspx
Fig. 2.2 The Butterfly Effect is often depicted in pop culture as a butterfly fluttering its wings over a
flower in China and causing a hurricane in the Caribbean. While far from the intended meaning by
the original proponent, Edward Lorenz, it does capture the unpredictability that seemingly small
events can cause, looking at the bigger picture and considering all factors present.
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
2. All forms of life are important.
Just as every person has a purpose, each
organism fulfills a particular niche, or role, in
the environment that it is a part of. Even the
flies that annoy us have a valuable role in the
environment! They act as prey for larger
animals, pollinators for plants, and
decomposers for organic matter.
Oliphant, J. (2019). [Ocean Ramsey and 50-year old great white shark].
One Ocean Diving. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JgcPr_1dapY/maxresdefault.jpg
Fig. 1.3 Sharks are a very important part of marine food webs. As the top predator in the ocean,
they control the population of certain animals to keep the ecosystem balanced. Unfortunately,
around 100 million sharks are killed and hunted each year, far more than the number of sharks
born annually for their populations to recover. At this rate, their extinction will not be very far off.
3. Everything must go somewhere.
As you probably have already learned, matter
cannot be created nor destroyed. Thus,
everything that we have on Earth, both natural
and manmade, has to go somewhere. There's
really no "away" in throwing away. This is an
important principle in environmental
management, particularly for managing our
[Plastic bag found in Mariana Trench]. (2018). Sustainability Times.
waste products and where they ought to go.
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content/uploads/thumbs/Mariana-Trench-NOAA-1350x759-
37lwcyy8a7nal3jgnjugw0.jpg
Fig. 1.4 In a deep ocean expedition, scientists
found plastic at the bottom of Mariana Trench in
4. Ours is a finite Earth. 2016.
Many of the materials that we use from the Earth is considered nonrenewable. When they are used
up, it would take another millions of years for them to replenish themselves. Environmental science
teaches us to use our resources sustainably. We need to use them efficiently, utilizing enough for us
to keep on with our daily lives while making sure that there is enough left for the future generations.
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
5. Nature knows best.
Modern humans have been walking on the
planet since around 200,000 years ago, a tiny
speck compared to the planet's 4.5 billion
years of existence. Therefore, we, humans,
must respect the environment's natural
processes that kept the planet alive for that
long period of time. We must always be aware
of the consequences and disruptions that
human activities might cause to our planet.
Learning from nature. (2018). Airbus. https://airbus-h.assetsadobe2.com/is/image/content/dam/products-and-solutions/commercial-aircraft/a350-
family/Biomimicry_1.jpg?wid=1920&fit=fit,1&qlt=85,0
Fig. 1.5 Biomimicry is the science of designing our modern technologies from nature's works.
Engineers, for example, are studying how to better construct the airplane's wings based on the
albatross'. They are also researching on a sharkskin-like coating on the plane's surfaces to reduce
drag and improve speed and fuel efficiency.
6. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of
God's creation.
Many religions, not only Christianity, impose a
moral obligation to take care of the environment.
They promote proper care of nature as part of the
values that allow a human being to live a good life
not only for himself, but for all of the other
organisms that we share our planet with.
7. Everything changes.
Nothing is permanent in the world except change!
Some changes are linear as in the evolution of
species. Others are cyclical like the changing of
the seasons. Others still are random and
Resilient tree. (2001). Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamieca/31621961 unpredictable like volcanic eruptions and
Fig. 1.6 Nature is resilient and it always finds earthquakes. Humans have to continually adapt to
a way to survive, as shown by the famous these changes for our species to survive.
"Tree of Life" in Kalaloch, Washington, USA.
These ecological principles allow mankind to realize that we are simply part of a bigger, more
complex system that is our environment. No matter how advanced our technologies might be, the
planet and its forces are still more powerful than us.
Humans should also bear in mind that all of our actions, even the most minute ones, can create a
ripple effect in the planet's natural processes and effect changes that are bigger than what we have
foreseen. We must always be aware of the impacts that our activities would have on the bigger
picture, that is the entire natural system and processes.
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
1.3 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
So what is the rest of the world doing at a time like this?
As a proposed solution to the world's increasingly concerning environmental issues, the United
Nations proposed the Sustainable Development Goals, which serve as a simple and holistic
guide for the UN's member states in achieving a sustainable future for all. It consists of 17 goals
that cover all aspects of sustainable nation-building including environmental awareness, hunger,
peace, governance, and many more.
United Nations. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2015/12/519172-sustainable-
development-goals-kick-start-new-year
Fig 1.3 The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as agreed upon by all member states of the
United Nations in 2015
Along with the 17 SDGs are the targets and indicators that the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on
SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) use to measure the progress of the member states in achieving the
goals. The call to action is urgent and the member states are urged to adopt them in their national
policies so that globally we can eradicate hunger and poverty, provide equal access to education,
and promote peace, all while fighting climate change and preserving our biodiversity.
Throughout the course, the individual SDGs will be further discussed in greater detail together
with the topics that they are related to.
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SELF-CHECK
1. Most of us, if not all, are guilty of adding to the world's environmental problems, one way or
another. Unintentional as they may be, they have in fact, burdened the environment more
than we thought. From your perspective, how have you added to the environmental
problems that the world is facing today? Enumerate the ways that you have contributed to
our environmental problems.
2. What is one good habit that you can promise to develop or bad habit that you can stop as
you take this course to help, in your own way, in solving our environmental woes?
REFERENCES
Cunningham, W.P. et al (2003) Environmental Science A Global Concern. McGraw-Hill
Starting with the Basics: Ecology Defined. (n.d.). Foundation for the Philippine Environment.
https://fpe.ph/ecology.html/view/starting-with-the-basics-ecology-defined/all/0
United Nations (n.d.) Sustainable Development Goals. retrieved from
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
